Method of producing a simulated meat

ABSTRACT

An edible product simulating meat in texture and appearance composed in major part of a vegetable protein mass having an internal structure stretched into the form of fibers, filaments and tissuelike membranes coagulated from a viscoelastic state to stable attenuated form. In making the product, a slurry with water of a vegetable protein material having viscoelastic properties similar to those of vital wheat gluten is heated to reduce the permeability to gases of the exposed surface of the material by coagulation thereof, after which the material is treated to generate gases internally of the mixture and to cause the gases to expand while their escape is inhibited by the lower permeability of the said surface so that the mixture enlarges in volume and becomes internally attenuated, after which the attenuated mixture is coagulated to a denatured product.

Pahner METHOD OF PRODUCING A MMULATED MEAT inventor: Hugh C. Palmer,Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Assignee: Kai Kan Foods, lnc., Vernon, Calif. Filed: July 25, 1969 Appl.No.: 845,070

US. Cl ..99/l7 lint. Cl. ..A23j 1/14 Field of Search ..99/14, 17, 2

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,197,310 7/1965 Kjelson ..99/177/1964 McAnelly ..99/l4 Primary Examiner-A. Louis Monacell AssistantExaminer-William A. Simons Attorney-Davis, Hoxie, Faithful! 8L Hapgood{57] ABSTRACT An edible product simulating meat in texture andappearance I composed in major part of a vegetable protein mass havingan internal structure stretched into the form of fibers, filaments andtissuelike membranes coagulated from a viscoelastic state to stableattenuated form. In making the product, a slurry with water of avegetable protein material having viscoelastic properties similar tothose of vital wheat gluten is heated to reduce the permeability togases of the exposed surface of the material by coagulation thereof,after which the material is treated to generate gases internally of themixture and to cause the gases to expand while their escape is inhibitedby the lower permeability of the said surface so that the mixtureenlarges in volume and becomes internally attenuated, after which theattenuated mixture is coagulated to a denatured product.

Feb.29,l972

METHOD OF PRODUCWG A SIMULATED MEAT This invention relates to simulatedmeat prepared from a heat coagulable vegetable protein material havingviscoelastic character similar to that of vital wheat gluten.

As is known, wheat gluten is a complex mixture of water insolubleproteins obtained as a residue following water extraction of wheat flourfrom which it is isolated as a creamycolored coherent smooth rubberlikewet mass which has considerable extensibility. Freshly extracted wetwheat gluten possessing a large water content is then in its most activeelastic state. in commercial production the impure gluten is dried andmarketed as a fine powder which may then be restored to an active stateby admixture with water. The term vital wheat gluten is used todescribed forms of concentrated dried wheat gluten which have beensubjected to a minimum of heat denaturation during drying and which,consequently, possess on reconstitution with water at least to somedegree the wet state extensible properties of freshly prepared wet wheatgluten.

in preparing the present simulated meat food product, I employ a slurryin water of a heat coagulable vegetable protein having viscoelasticcharacter similar to that of vital wheat gluten. Preferably the slurryis prepared by admixture of vital wheat gluten with water.Alternatively, the wet wheat gluten freshly prepared as a residuefollowing water extraction of wheat flour may be used.

The slurry is placed in a container suitable by heat processing, thecontainer being filled to a predetermined depth. in a short time theslurry, if prepared from dried vital wheat gluten admixed with water,will thicken as the result of inhibition of water by the gluten untilthe mass becomes a soft dough, viscoelastic in nature. The dough isintroduced into a heating chamber where it is heated. Coagulation takesplace on the surface of the dough, thereby forming a filmlike skinencasing the dough in its upper surface. As the heating continues, gases(largely water vapor) are evolved, which, however, cannot escape due tothe impermeability of the surface skin that has been formed. Thusinternal expansive pressure is generated which causes the skin to rise.The vegetable protein body, being elastic, becomes pulled out verticallyas the skin rises to form fibers, filaments and membranes of material.After the protein body has expanded to a desired level, further heat isapplied to coagulate the gluten in the stretched position and thuspermanently fix the fibers, filaments and membranes forming the internalconfiguration of the heated gluten. On cooling, the stretched fibers,filaments and membranes become compacted due to condensation of theentrained gases with a resultant increase in density to yield a formedproduct possessing textural and visual characteristics similar to thoseof natural meats. The present simulated meat is also found to possessabsorptive properties which usefully serve to retain additive materialswithin the matrix of the prepared product as may be supplied foraltering its flavor, visual appearance, and textural or structuralproperties. These additives may be included in the initially formedslurry for contributing desirable properties to the finally preparedproduct, or such additives may be absorbed or injected into the preparedproduct. if desired, a further heat processing stage may be carried outas hereinafter described in greater detail.

The present simulated meat may be prepared by initially combining a heatcoagulable vegetable protein having viscoelastic properties identicalwith or similar to those of vital wheat gluten in an amount from aboutl5 to about 45 percent by weight, and preferably in an amount from aboutto about percent by weight, with about 55 to about 85 percent by weightof water and preferably to a water content of about 65 to 75 percent byweight. The gluten and water are mixed to form a substantially uniformslurry. It is found that the addition of heat coagulable vegetableprotein to an excess amount of water forms a thin liquid slurry whichwould not thicken to a dough on standing and which would result, uponheating, in an overly soft product texturally, whereas the addition ofan excess amount of heat coagulable protein in forming the slurryresults in a stiff and resistant dough which is difficult to handle andwhich forms an exceedingly tough and rubbery product upon heating.

The heat coagulable vegetable protein addition may be partially replacedby either a vegetable or animal protein factor, providing suchsubstitution does not result in loss of the required viscoelasticcharacteristics of vital wheat gluten found necessary for formation ofthe present product. Typically, vegetable proteins of oilseed or legumeorigin such as soy bean, cotton seed, peanut, safflower and rape seedproteins or the like; and animal-derived proteins, such as meat and fishprotein or milk-based proteins such as casein or the like, may replacepart of the heat coagulable vegetable protein if desired. These proteinsneed not be highly purified. When I incorporated with the gluten doughprior to heating, these materials may be included in amounts up to about15 percent by weight, and desirably in an amount from about 6 to about12 percent by weight. All the additive materials herein described may,however, alternatively be subsequently added by absorption or injectioninto the simulated meat of my invention as a matrix, in which casesubstantially higher levels of incorporation may be achieved.

Although not exhaustive, the following additives have been found to beuseful.

Blood and blood derivatives are particularly useful for conferring meatyappearance to simulated meat of this invention. Blood may be addedeither as whole blood, blood serum or blood plasma, all of which may beused fresh or cooked, with or without anticoagulant additives, or inreconstituted dried form. A blood additive is typically used in anamount up to about 35 percent by weight and desirably in an amount fromabout 10 percent to 25 percent, and preferably 20 percent by weight as asubstitute for the same percent by weight of water. The blood factor maybe substituted in whole or in part by aqueous fluids such, for example,as milk or milk derivatives containing components of whole, skim orreconstituted milk, whey or various additional protein-containingmaterials such as aqueous extracts of meat, fish or meat byproducts.

Meat or meat byproducts, or fish, or their extracts or fractionsprepared by differential centrifugation of homogenates of the samematerials, whether raw or precooked, may be added to the aqueous glutenslurry or injected in the prepared simulated meat. Such meats and meatderivatives are desirably added ground or homogenized in form. The meator meat derivative factor may be added to the aqueous gluten slurry inan amount up to about 30 percent by weight and, desirably, in an amountfrom about l0 percent to about 30 percent by weight. By injecting meatand meat derivatives into the prepared simulated meat, substantiallyhigher levels of incorporation can be achieved.

Particularly useful additives are sugars which may be employed toincrease the osmotic pressure of the water phase with a resultantbacteriostatic effect according to the welldeveloped process used forproduction of semimoist foods. Sugars that may be employed in thisconnection include any of the reducing and nonreducing monosaccharides,disaccharides or polysaccharides and may include pentose as well ashexose sugars. The particular sugar that is to be used which mostcommonly would be sucrose, glucose or corn syrup may be substituted forwater in the formula at levels up to 35 percent by weight of theproduct. Desirably sugars are incorporated in an amount from about 20percent to about 30 percent by weight. At these levels sugars do notinterfere with the fiber and membrane forming process.

It may be desirable to combine the use of sugars with the use ofhumectants such as hydrophilic polyhydric alcohols, for examplepropylene glycol, and antimicrobial agents, for example sorbic acid orits salts, to produce novel textured semimoist foods with extended shelflife properties. A bacteriostatic effect may also be produced in thesimulated meat products of this invention by the use of acidulantsaccording to wellknown food preservation techniques. The use ofacidulants may be combined, if desired, with the use of sugars,humectants and antimicrobial compounds in the production of uniquelytextured semimoist foodstuffs.

When using sugars as additives, cooling is preferably carried out in asteam environment rather than hot air to avoid the brownishdiscoloration of the surface skin that is found to occur in hot air.However, the principle of fiber or membrane formation remains the samewhen using steam. After heat processing to produce fibers and membranesin the product, the product may be subjected if desired to partialdehydration by drying to increase the sugar solids. Semimoist texturedgluten simulated meats prepared as described above are quite unique inappearance and are distinctly different from existing semimoistproducts. Suitably colored products are composed of translucent fibersand membranes having an almost identical appearance to that of rawmuscle meat.

Various supplemental additives may be either included in the aqueousgluten slurry or injected into the prepared simulated meat product toimprove the storage properties, nutrient value, texture, flavor andappearance of the simulated meat products of my invention, provided suchaddition does not destroy the desired viscoelastic properties of thedough. Although not exhaustive, one or more supplemental additives maybe selected from one or more of the well-known classes of food additivescomprising, for example, color and curing additives and pigments,enzymes, vitamins, mineral and amino acids, antimicrobial additives,antioxidants, and food stabilizers, acidulants, sequestrants, gums,sugars and starches, surface active agents, polyhydric alcohols andhumectants, natural and synthetic flavorings, flavor potentiators andnonnutritive sweeteners. Supplemental additives may be incorporated atlevels normally used in the food processing industry for purposes ofimproving nutritional value, consumer acceptance (animal or human),preservation of quality, processing, or for conferring specificqualities of shelf life.

Fats or oils may be added to the formulation if desired. If fats or oilsare to be added, care must be taken however, that the fiber formation isaccomplished in the absence of more than 2 percent or 3 percent etherextractable fats and oils, unless such fats or oils are renderedimmiscible as by encapsulation or other techniques. Fats present aslipo-protein complexes similar to those normally present to some degreein extracted wheat gluten, which are characterized by being insoluble innonnal fat solvents, do not interfere with the fiber and membraneformation process.

The vital wheat gluten, water, flavoring and coloring ingredients andother desired additives are mixed together either as a batch orcontinuously. The slurry is desirably formed using a hot water additionin order to raise the initial slurry temperature, thus reducing thecooking time necessary to form the textured simulated meat product.

A layer of slurry typically about three-quarters to about 1 inch indepth is deposited in a suitable container, although it is recognizedthat other thicknemes may be used, if desired. The slurry is heatprocessed, typically in a hot air oven, at a temperature of about 380 F.to about 430 F. for between 5 to 30 minutes, although higher or lowertemperatures and times may be employed, if desired. For example, asatisfactory product may be prepared using a steam oven at a temperatureof 212 F. for a processing time up to about 50 minutes, depending uponthe layered thickness of the slurry to be used. Regardless of the typeof heating employed, it is necessary and essential to the practice ofthe present invention that a surface skin be developed on the slurry toentrap, in situ, gases and vapors generated, as during heat processing.Whatever method of heating is employed, the internal temperature of theslurry will typically not exceed 250 F., although the skin temperaturethereabout may be higher due to loss of moisture and its immediateproximity to the heating medium. The par ticular time and temperaturefor processing a three-quarterinch deep slurry is approximately 20-30minutes at 400 F. for a dough initially at room temperature, andapproximately to minutes at 400 F. for a dough initially at 120 F. tol40 F. prepared with boiling water.

During the heating process, expansion of gas bubbles in the product andgeneration of steam within the dough causes the dough to rise and,because of the viscoelastic properties of the wheat gluten used, duringthe rising, fibers, filaments and expanded cellular structures areformed which extend substantially parallel to the direction in which thedough is rising. The further addition of heat coaguiates the gluten inits stretched form so that elasticity is lost and the structure remainspermanently stretched. lf heating is not carried to the point ofcomplete coagulation, the structure may retain too great a degree ofelasticity so that it retracts on cooling to form a nonfibrous product.Alternatively, if application of heat is so rapid that the viscoelasticproperties are destroyed prior to the dough being stretched intofibrous, filamentous and membranous structures, a nonfibrous product isalso produced.

After the dough has been heat coagulated and allowed to cool, theproduct may be described as having an internal configuration includingfibers generally described as elongated threadlike structures of tissue,interdisposed with filaments generally described as delicate fibers orthreads, both of which are supported with membranes of thin layers oftissue. The fibrous areas of the material resemble muscle meat fiberswhereas the membranous structures closely resemble animal connectivetissues and membranes. The product presents textural characteristicsvery similar to natural meats having essentially a rubbery consistency.The prepared product is composed of partially and completely coagulatedprotein materials which may be further processed if desired.

The prepared simulated meat food product is found to possess a certainamount of porosity and is thus capable of ab sorbing or being injectedwith a wide variety of ingredients such as additives previouslyindicated. If it is desired to incorporate a liquid or semisolidmaterial, the prepared simulated meat product may be squeezed in a bathof the material whereupon considerable uptake will occur following theprinciple of sponge absorption. The absorbed portion may be formulatedto contain a substantial proportion of heat coagulable protein materialsincluding egg, blood and homogenized meat ingredients and afterabsorption the spongelike product may be subjected to a second heatingto coagulate those materials disposed in the liquid or semisolid phase.The second heating may be carried out by any conventional heatingsource, as desired. The product so prepared typically comprises areas ofcoagulated protein of homogeneous appearance intermixed in a fibrousmatrix giving the appearance of organ meats such as those of liver andspleen. The fibrous and nonfibrous areas differ in densities providingtextural variations to the bite during consumption.

The absorbed material may further include a sugar component, if desired,or may include additives previously indicated.

The following are typical examples:

EXAMPLE I A high protein simulated meat is prepared by combining thefollowing materials in the amounts indicated:

The hot water, fresh blood, sodium nitrite solution and titanium dioxideare slurried together with stirring for approximately 1 to 2 minutes toform substantially homogeneous mixture. The vital wheat gluten is thenadded with continued mixing, after which mixing is continued until asatisfactory discharge of the gluten is effected to form a substantiallyhomogeneous slurry. The slurry has a consistency like thin dough and maybe characterized as being soft and pliable. A layer of dough aboutthree-quarter inch in depth is deposited onto a standard baking tray andthe tray is transferred to a hot air oven preheated to about 400 F.During the first few minutes of heating, a surface skin on the slurry isobserved to form which gradually commences to rise as the heating iscontinued. After about minutes of heating, the skin is observed to haverisen over the whole surface of the tray to a height of about 2% to 6inches. Heating is continued for about 5 minutes to effect coagulationof the stretched protein filaments and membranes within the skin encasedstructure, after which time the product is removed from the oven andpermitted to cool for a period of about 5 minutes. The partially cooledproduct may then be cut into 3/4-inch cubes and allowed to cool furtherto ambient temperatures. The yield of finished product is observed to beapproximately 90 percent of the starting material and the content of theproduct, upon close examination, is found to resemble cooked muscle meatin color, general appearance and texture and includes adherentconnective membranes with fibers and adjoining filaments.

EXAMPLE II The procedure of EXAMPLE I is repeated to prepare a highprotein simulated meat food product using the following ingredients inthe amounts indicated:

INGREDIENTS Percent by Weight Vital Wheat Gluten 29.04

Water 6l.70

Fresh Beef Blood 9.00

Sodium Nitrite Solution (2% aqueous) 0.26

The above materials were processed substantially by the method ofExample I and the final product was observed to resemble raw musclemeat, including connective tissue and membranes.

EXAMPLE III The preparation of a flavored high protein simulated meatcontaining natural and synthetic flavoring materials was accomplishedusing the following ingredients in the amounts indicated:

Compounded from essential oils.

The ingredients were metered, the flow rates corresponding to therelative amounts and ingredients shown above, into a continuous mixerwhere they were mixed simultaneously to form a flowable batter. Thebatter had a consistency of thin dough and was deposited into trays andcontinuously heat processed according to the procedure of Example I. Thefinal product resembled cooked muscle meat and possessed a meaty aromaand taste.

EXAMPLE IV In preparation of a simulated light meat product having achicken flavor, the following components in the amounts indicated werecombined:

INGREDIENTS Percent by Weight Vital Wheat Gluten 3313 Hot Water (195 F.)40.49

Skim Milk 24.85

Titanium Dioxide 0.61

Commercial Chicken Flavor 0.92

The above ingredients in the amounts indicated were combined by theprocedure of Example I. The prepared product bore a striking resemblanceto cooked, light-colored muscle meat and possessed a meaty aroma andtaste resembling that of chicken.

EXAMPLE V A simulated meat product with natural meat flavoring isprepared including the following ingredients in the amounts indicated.

INGREDIENTS Percent by Weight Vital Wheat Gluten 332] Boiling Water c.55.35 Liver (ground 4, inches) 11.07 Sodium Nitrite Solution (27:

aqueous) 0.37

EXAMPLE VI 49.84 percent by weight of fibrous simulated meat productprepared by the procedure of Example I were combined with 33.22 percentby weight of whole eggs, 12.46 percent by weight of fresh beef bloodwith anticoagulant, 4.15 percent by weight of wheat flour and 0.33percent by weight of sodium nitrite solution (2 percent aqueous). Asemisolid batter was prepared by mixing the whole egg, fresh blood,wheat flour, and sodium nitrite together. Thereafter, the fibroussimulated meat prepared by the procedure of Example I was immersed intothe batter and squeezed gently to express entrained air bubbles. Aftersoaking for about 1 to 5 minutes, the simulated meat was removed andallowed to drain for about 5 minutes. Thereafter, the simulated meatcontaining the semisolid batter was found to have absorbed an amount ofthe egg/blood/batter in an amount approximately equal to the weight ofsimulated meat. The spongelike simulated meat product was transferred toa shallow tray and processed in a steam oven at 212 F. After minutes,the product was removed and allowed to cool. The product was obtained asfirm, coagulated chunks of rubbery consistency having an externalappearance of meat. On tearing the product, the interior was found to becomposed of homogeneous areas of coagulated proteinaceous materialjoined together by a matrix of the coagulated gluten fibers. The overallappearance resembled that of organ meats, and, in particular, liver andspleen tissues.

The simulated meats of the present invention, useful as animal foods butalso for human consumption, can, of course, be canned and can beprocessed in the same manner as natural meats and other high-proteinfoodstuffs, such as by drying or freezing.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of producing simulated meat which comprises forming anadmixture of 55-85 by weight of an aqueous liquid comprising water with45-15 by weight vital wheat gluten which, in such admixture, isviscoelastic and heat coagulable, depositing a quantity of the admixturein a manner to leave an upper surface free and exposed, applying heat tothe admixture to form a surface filmlike skin on the exposed surface ofthe admixture by coagulation thereof, said skin having reducedpermeability to gases formed during heating and expansion of theproduct, heating the admixture to form fibrous filaments within itsinternal structure by generating gases internally of the admixture andcausing the gases to expand while their escape is substantiallyinhibited by the low permeability of said surface skin so that theadmixture enlarges in volume and becomes internally stretched to formfibers and membranes by expansion of the mass in a direction normal tosaid exposed surface, and continuing the heating until a coagulation ofthe stretched mixture is effected.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 which includes the further step ofcooling the coagulated product to increase its density by contractingits volume.

3. The method of forming a simulated meat as defined by claim 1including the further step of allowing the admixture to stand andthicken to a soft, pliable, extensible dough by the inhibition of waterby the protein prior to heating.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 which includes the further step ofutilizing the coagulated product for the spongelike absorption of anaqueous solution of heat coagulable protein materials consistingessentially of egg, blood and homogenized meat ingredients.

5. The method of forming a fibrous and membranelike edible product,which comprises forming an aqueous slurry of a coagulable viscoelasticvital wheat gluten which is adapted upon being expanded to form fibersand membranes, said slurry comprising 15 to 45 percent by weight vitalwheat gluten and from 55 to percent by weight of an aqueous liquiddepositing a quantity of said slurry in a container in a manner to leavethe upper surface free and exposed, coagulating the composition of theunconfined free surface by heating to form a filmlike skin thereon,expanding the inner composition by heating to move the coagulatedsurface away from an opposite surface and to form fibers and membranesby expansion of the mass in a direction normal to the exposed surface,and thereafter coagulating the fibers and membranes thus formed in theexpanded mass by heating into a permanently set condition.

6. The method of producing simulated meat as defined in claim 5 in whichthe aqueous liquid comprises water and between 10 and 25 percent byweight based on the weight of the water of a liquid selected from thegroup consisting of blood, reconstituted blood derivatives, blood serum,blood plasma, milk and aqueous suspensions of edible solids.

7. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the composition further hasadded thereto a substantial quantity of fats and oils.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OE CORRECTION Patent No.3,645,747 Dated Fegggflzy 22-, l 2 Z2 Invent0r(s) Huqh C, Palmer It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent 1 and thatsaid Letters Patentare hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 7, line 16, after "55-85" insert line 17, after "45-15" insertColumn 8, lines 3 and 4, "inhibition" should read imbibition Signed andsealed this 31st day of October 1.972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents USCOMM-DC 608764 69 U.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969O-86633l,

FORM PO-IOSO (10-69)

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 which includes the further step of cooling the coagulated product to increase its density by contracting its volume.
 3. The method of forming a simulated meat as defined by claim 1 including the further step of allowing the admixture to stand and thicken to a soft, pliable, extensible dough by the inhibition of water by the protein prior to heating.
 4. The method as defined in claim 1 which includes the further step of utilizing the coagulated product for the spongelike absorption of an aqueous solution of heat coagulable protein materials consisting essentially of egg, blood and homogenized meat ingredients.
 5. The method of forming a fibrous and membranelike edible product, which comprises forming an aqueous slurry of a coagulable viscoelastic vital wheat gluten which is adapted upon being expanded to form fibers and membranes, said slurry comprising 15 to 45 percent by weight vital wheat gluten and from 55 to 85 percent by weight of an aqueous liquid depositing a quantity of said slurry in a container in a manner to leave the upper surface free and exposed, coagulating the composition of the unconfined free surface by heating to form a filmlike skin thereon, expanding the inner composition by heating to move the coagulated surface away from an opposite surface and to form fibers and membranes by expansion of the mass in a direction normal to the exposed surface, and thereafter coagulating the fibers and membranes thus formed in the expanded mass by heating into a permanently set condition.
 6. The method of producing simulated meat as defined in claim 5 in which the aqueous liquid comprises water and between 10 and 25 percent by weight based on the weight of the water of a liquid selected from the group consisting of blood, reconstituted blood derivatives, blood serum, blood plasma, milk and aqueous suspensions of edible solids.
 7. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the composition further has added thereto a substantial quantity of fats and oils. 